The Shadowy Future
by Amy-May Williams
Summary: The year is 2100 and the 12 districts of Panem are about to face a new enemy. The Dark Days (A series of rebellions lasting 10 years) have finally come to an end. It is President Leonis Erwin's first day as president, and he is about to make an extraordinary but horrifying announcement. An announcement that will change the lives of 24 very dissimilar teenagers.
1. A Note From Amy-May

Hello,

My name is Amy-May and I fell in love with The Hunger Games the minute I saw the front cover. For those of you who don't know, I started writing a SYOT on the 21st June 2013 and received some amazing entries. I am really grateful for everyone who sent me a SYOT form and I am very sorry for anyone who didn't get their tributes on the list. Here is the final tribute list.

District 1

Female- Jemima Louise Oliver (Emmeline C. Thornbrooke)

Male- Silver Damask (Peeta6in6real6life)

District 2

Female- Saffron Calliope (Peeta6in6real6life)

Male- Garth Lou Wonder (HpHgPjGone)

District 3

Female- Dayta Boolean (Chloe6676)

Male- Huxley sparks (Bloodbath77)

District 4

Female- Shrader Pegg (MadiAndErica)

Male- Caspian Nemo Carlon (Peeta6in6real6life)

District 5

Female- Melanie Tendras (Buttons301)

Male- Dorien Oakfree (TaraxXx)

District 6

Female- Vivian Hopewell (PandaWamber)

Male- Obsidian Nguyen (PandaWamber)

District 7

Female- Amber Barker (Peeta6in6real6life)

Male- Monty Everest (HpHgPjGone)

District 8

Female- Calico Rollag (Chloe6676)

Male- Carsen Houser (TaraxXx)

District 9

Female- Niomi Rose Harris (theplurplefactory)

Male- Zanther Raye (MeepCheep)

District 10

Female- Amelia Shultz ( Chloe6676)

Male- Sirus Meddle (TaraxXx)

District 11

Female- Flower Grutop (Bloodbath77)

Male- Spud Quilicol (Bloodbath77)

District 12

Female- Flare Diturney (Bloodbath77)

Male- Agnus Cypert (Buttons301)

I would also like to thank anyone who sacrificed a tribute for the Bloodbath as I thought that nobody would. Thanks to everyone who was involved in the SYOT. Without you, I could've never written the story. This story will also be up on Wattpad soon so if you have a Wattpad account, please follow me! My name is PanemaniacAmyMay. Once again, thank you to everyone and I love you all so much!

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour.

-Amy-May xoxo


	2. Prologue

President Leonis Erwin's POV

I often recall my past. It was, indeed, rather eventful. But today, I remember it clearer than I ever have before. So clear, in fact, that I can almost picture every significant moment of my existence. I was born on the 1st January 2080 in the Capitol. The nation of Panem was peaceful, with it's 13 districts working in harmony to produce the essential items for the Capitol. Well, at least that's what it was like until I turned 10 years old. That was when the Dark Days came. The districts had obviously grown tired of us Capitol citizens living in luxury, so they rebelled against us. Many Capitol citizens died but twice as many rebels from the various districts were killed. Even though the chances of my death were slim, I still lived in fear of the rampaging rebels. Eventually, the president at the time was murdered by a crazed rebel from District 13. I was 18 and should've been in my last year of school. However, my parents were worried for my safety, so I stopped school when I was 10. The Capitol Government went searching for a new leader and, for some unknown reason, knocked on my door asking for any man over the age of 18. They probably knocked on everybody's door but I instantly felt like our family was special. And it was then that I realized that by becoming president, I could finally show my family that I didn't need protecting. I instantly volunteered for the post of president but it wasn't until now that I was recognized. It wasn't my idea or choice to destroy District 13, it was the choice of the Government Officials who selected me to become the president. I never wanted to hurt anybody. I just wanted to protect the ones I love.

I stand there now, looking majestic with my smooth hair gelled backwards and fashioned by the most famous stylists in the Capitol. A 20 year old man is looking back at me through the mirror I gaze into. I never thought in a million years that this would happen. I may be passionate about my new job, but this first speech isn't one full of praise and happiness. I have to announce to the whole of Panem that they are going to be punished for their actions towards the Capitol. The punishment was, again, not chosen by me and I will regret announcing it for the rest of my life. I hate this punishment. If I had to endure it, I'd want to rebel against the Capitol even more. A lanky man wearing a black suit comes to escort me to the stage and I feel rather embarrassed. I realize that I am shaking and there is no way of hiding it. I wonder if he realizes how nervous I am. I stand behind a curtain as I am introduced and I know that there is no turning back now. Every eye in Panem is watching me. My name is called and I make my way to a tall podium, listening to the Capitol erupt with the sound of applause. I can feel the cameras scanning me for the answers to their burning questions. That's exactly what I'm going to give them. The answers that they so desperately want, but will regret the minute I finish talking.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," I begin, attempting to conceal my fear of the rest of the nation. "My name is Leonis Erwin. As you know, it is my first day as president and I am honoured to rule over such an incredible country. However, there is a slight predicament." I take a long pause as I ready myself for the next few sentences. "As you know, the 13 districts of Panem have recently rebelled against the powerful forces of the Capitol. We have already destroyed District 13 so let that be a warning to any remaining anarchists. I am sad to say that these rebellions can not go unpunished for the rest of you. As a result of the rebels actions," I clear my throat and wipe away a small tear. "Each of the 12 remaining districts of Panem will, by law, offer up one young man and woman between the ages of 12 and 18 to be trained in the art of survival, and to be prepared to fight to the death. This annual event will be henceforth known as the Hunger Games. A reaping will take place in a week from now to randomly select two tributes. However, if your child wishes to volunteer in the place of the reaped tribute, they may do so. There is only one rule in these games, kill or be killed. Further information will, soon, be established. Let the 1st Annual Hunger Games begin! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" I can feel the Capitol roaring in applause because their children are perfectly safe. However, my mind is not in the Capitol. It has travelled to one of the districts, where the startled faces of mothers and children stare up at me in complete hatred. There will be no applause in the districts. Only silence. Dead silence


	3. District 1

**Hi,**

**This is just a quick note. My friend, Peeta6in6real6life (the creator of Silver Damask, Saffron Calliope, Caspian Nemo Carlon and Amber Barker), has just started a SYOT! Here is a link to it.**

**s/9451023/1/The-1st-annual-hunger-games-SYOT There are still many places left but be quick to submit your tributes! I honestly can't wait for it to start and if you're reading this Peeta6in6real6life, you rock! :D**

**-Amy-May xoxo**

District 1- Luxury

"District 1 makes the luxury goods that decorate and beautify our great Capitol. Its excellent taste and craftsmanship keep Capitol residents bewigged and bedazzled year-round."

Taken from the Panem Travel Guide.

Jemima Louise Oliver's POV

Ok, let's get this over with quickly. I was born on the 3rd October 2082 in a small place in the North of District 1 called Deepveiw. Deepveiw is placed in a large valley and not many people live there. It's quiet and rather cut off to the rest of the district, and that's why I like living there. My mother, Marie Katherine, is a Peacekeeper. My father, Issac James, is also a Peacekeeper and they both have to travel to the centre of the district everyday to make sure that nobody decides to pull a rebellious stunt or break the rules created by the Capitol. Not only are they Peacekeepers, but my parents are also the personal guards of District 1's mayor. I only get to see them in the morning before they travel to work. This means that we aren't very close. I also have a 2 year old sister named Elizabeth Mae. Well, she's not really my sister, but I'll get to that in a minute. The only other living relative I have, is my grandmother, Sandra. She is my father's mother and used to be a perfumer before she retired. She can turn any flower into a gorgeous fragrance and I have many oils, remedies and perfumes as gifts from her. I had 8 years to live a close to normal life before everything went horribly wrong. The rebellions began the year of my 8th birthday and my parents tried to do everything in their power to make sure I was prepared. On the day of my actual 8th Birthday, my mother began to teach me three martial arts. I found out that she was extremely skilled in Karate, Taekwando, and Judo. I practised and learned new moves everyday until it became a second nature to me. When I was 10, my father gave me my first dagger. It was small and quite blunt but it was to be used to train, not to fight in combat. By the time I was 11, I could easily kill a Capitol warrior if they came rampaging through my door. However, I didn't believe that these skills were enough, so I decided to combine them. I created a new martial art blending the three that I learned, my use of a dagger and my skill of parkour. This meant that I was fully equip to stand by my parents and defend my district. Because I was extremely skilled and prepared for any attack, my parents kept me in school. When I was 13, a new family moved next door to us. Their son, Jason Hitchens, was the same age as me and we instantly became friends. I slowly started to "like" him and by the time I was 14, I was madly in love with Jason. He obviously loved me too because he asked me out shortly after. I then learned a very deep secret of his. He was planning his own rebellion. I begged him not to fight or to at least let me fight with him, but he told me I was too special and that he didn't want to risk my death. The day he initiated the rebellion, the Capitol caught him and his allies and tortured them all. They filmed him being anguished and sent us the tape with a note saying that they finally killed him. I felt lost without Jason but, about 3 months later, I fell in love with an old friend, Ryan Arthur. We started dating straight away but he acted differently towards me in a relationship. He started pressuring me into doing very intimate things that I wasn't ready for but I, stupidly, said yes to them all. On my 16th birthday, I became pregnant with a little girl. I hid my pregnancy from everybody apart from my parents, who told me not to panic. My mother became pregnant at the same time as me, but whilst fighting off a rebel, the embryo was badly bruised and killed. This, in a way, was lucky because everyone still thought that my mother was pregnant. This meant that when I gave birth, my parents could raise the baby as my sister to give her a better chance and to hide that fact that I was indeed pregnant. Elizabeth Mae was born on the 7th July 2098. She was born deaf but this meant that her eyesight was far more advanced. All I dreaded was when the time came for me to tell her that she was actually my daughter. Ryan then left me for another girl I knew from school. From then onwards, I was in 5 more relationships which came to horrible endings which I wish not to describe. The last boyfriend I had decided that he only wanted my looks and hated who I really was. We broke up when I was 17. This was when I realized that men were all jerks and I swore off of them completely. I bet you weren't expecting that. You were anticipating a perfect girl living a life of luxury, weren't you? Don't act so surprised. Just get over it.

President Erwin's announcement has just come to an end and District 1 falls quiet. People are conversing in hushed voices and looking around at one another in shock. I feel a cold, rough hand grasp my shoulder and see my mother's bright-green eyes staring deeply into mine. "Jemima," She says softly. "This is what you've been trained for. Forget about becoming a Peacekeeper or a guard, this is what you're made to do." I smile back at her and the realization hits me. Without knowing, I've trained for the Hunger Games since I was 8. I have the skills and I posses the personality to win. This could be a blessing. But it could be a trick. "But this could all be a ploy. They might not even allow a winner!" I retort, making sure to keep my voice low.

"It can't be." My father assures me. "It's a game. Every game has a winner." Every game has a winner. This sentence clatters around in my head and a large grin emerges onto my face. This really is what I've been trained for. Suddenly, I feel a small tug on the hem of my skirt. I look down and see Elizabeth standing there, looking up at me with a perplexed look on her face. I know she can't hear what's going on and she hasn't fully developed sign language, so I can't really explain what's happening. "Don't worry Bess." I sigh, knowing that she can't understand me. "It's nothing that you have to worry about." I can tell that she is even more confused now, but she does an excellent job of concealing it by smiling joyfully and flinging her arms around me. I hold her tightly and can't help feeling sorry for her. Sometimes I wish I could take her place, just so she can have a normal, happy life. I let her go and turn to face my grandmother. She looks a little disturbed but still smiles at me. "Your parents are right, Jemima." She murmurs. "You are more skilled that many of your peers. You have a better chance than anyone." I'm very close with my grandmother as she usually helps me by looking after Elizabeth whilst I'm at school. Once I get back from school, I help her make cookies and all three of us sit in the living room eating them and waiting for my parents to return. I never see them before I go to bed though. I give her a radiant smile and embrace her tightly. Not too tightly though, because she is 84 now and is very fragile. After the release, I look around at the rest of the audience. Many other teenagers are receiving pep talks from their parents. Only one girl seems to register in my mind. That's my best friend, Willow Grace Peterson. Willow is very talkative and always refers to me as Ginny. I am quite solitary so Willow is one of my only friends. This makes her a lot more important to me. Willow is talking to her mother when she suddenly notices me. She waves vigorously and shouts across the crowd to me. "Hi Ginny!" She calls. "What do you think of the announcement?" I don't make a verbal reply. I just nod and smile. The smile soon turns into a laugh and I have to turn myself away to stop the hysterical wave of giggling that has come over me. I think it was because Willow shouted so loud, that everyone is now looking at her. I turn back to face her but before my eyes reach the place she is standing, somebody else catches my eye. It's Jason Hitchens's mother. She is managing a small grin and looks as if she is about to cry. She is almost like my second mother and we always help each other to cope with Jason's death. She places a hand over her heart and mouths the words "Good Luck."

"Thank you." I mouth back, blowing her a kiss. She returns the kiss and we both look back to the large, lifeless screen which delivered the announcement. My mother is right. I do have the ability to win the Hunger Games.

Silver Damask's POV

I didn't really have an unusual childhood. Since I have lived in District 1 all my life, I've been pretty lucky. I was born on the 19th January 2082 in a town called Wellwick. I have lived in Wellwick since I was born and it's pretty close to the centre of District 1. Wellwick has a reputation for being quite luxurious and crowded. I'm used to the crowds as I've lived there all my life, so it doesn't tend to bother me. My mother, Clos Damask, is 36 and she works as a diamond miner. My father, Satin Damask, is 40 and he also works as a diamond miner. I also have two other siblings. My younger sister, Chanelle Damask, is 15 and is quite tall and strong for her age. She has the same silver-blue hair that I do. My older brother, Jak Damask, is 20 now and is a lot taller and stronger than the rest of us. I never really knew any other relatives. They're either dead or living on the outskirts of the district. My parents applied for the job of diamond mining when I was born, and they received the job when I was a year old. Jak was 3. My mother paid our neighbour to look after us for the day until they got back. When I was 3 years old, Chanelle was born. Our neighbour had to take care of all three of us. To be honest, she was more of a mother than our own mother ever was. She used to play games with us and let us run around in the field just outside Wellwick. She always made an amazing apple pie and it was the most incredible thing I'd ever eaten in my life. It went on like this until I was 8 years old. That was the year that the Dark Days came. My mother and father still went to work, but a Capitol bomb had claimed our neighbour and her house. We were now totally on our own. I would just stare out of the window, hoping that one day, someone would come and save us. I worried about who was next to be bombed almost everyday, because there was a chance it could be us. I wanted to scream out for my parents. I thought they'd hear my cries and come running back to me. Every morning, I would beg my parents not to go, but they never even noticed that I was there. I started breaking things such as ornaments and plates in front of them and even then, they didn't even look at me. At the time, my mothers hair was dyed a sort of silver-blue colour and I knew that she used very a expensive hair dye from the Capitol. This was when I formed a plan. I dyed my hair when I was 10 and Chanelle begged me to dye hers too, so I did. Jak was really against the whole idea of the hair dye so when I asked him if he wanted to join us, he instantly declined. Him and my father are now the only ones in our family with the natural, chestnut brown hair that we all used to have. This was all a big waste of time, however, because even with blue hair, mother and father didn't tend to look in our direction. Me and Chanelle got the occasional look of concern from my father but that was about it. I just gave up at that point and I went back to staring out of the window again, waiting for my parents to get back. Well, at least that's what I did until Chanelle came down with an awful flu. She couldn't leave her bed, so me and Jak made her 3 meals a day, made sure she had a bucket next to her bed at all times and gave her medicine twice a day. She soon got better and when she did, I realized something. We were all old enough to take care of ourselves. We didn't need our parents. They were never there for us anyway. So from that day onwards, the three of us started working together as a team to make sure that we all make it to adulthood. This was how we lived up to now, with each person looking out for the other two. That's it really, just a normal life considering the world that we live in. Nothing special.

The screen that brought the end of the world has just become lifeless again. 24 teenagers? Is this really the Capitol's idea of a punishment? We're not all criminals! The moment of silence holds us all and suddenly, people start to mutter. Probably cursing the Capitol for turning on their favourite district. Then, for the first time, my mother shows some type of affection. She slowly embraces me, which she hasn't done since I was 5, but it isn't what I was expecting. Her worn-down hands are rough and quivering on my back, whilst her corpse like body makes me feel like I could accidentally snap her in two. Does she even eat anything? I've never seen her eat before. Her croaky voice breaks the awkwardness of the hug. "I am so sorry, Silver." She gasps, tears filling her eyes.

"It's not your fault. How can it be?" I ask softly.

"I was never there." She answers, letting a tear trickle down her cheek. "I was never there for any of you." She looks at my siblings, who are in the middle of their own embrace.

"Neither was I." My fathers gruff voice enters our conversation. "I never felt like a real father. I never really was." Of course he was, but I understand what he means by this. He places a large, brick-shaped hand on my shoulder and I look up at him, only to see his crumpled face attempting a smile. "It's Ok." I reply, convincingly, though maybe not convincingly enough as I didn't manage to fool myself. "I was fine. We were all fine. It wasn't your fault that you had to work to provide for us all. It really isn't." Although, of course, it was their fault. They were the ones who chose the job and we suffered for years in fear because of it. They've done something to me that made a simple sorry useless as it couldn't ever mend what they'd done. We could never have the same relationship again. Something had broken inside me, making any attempt of real love towards my parents almost impossible. The broken something was my heart. I look to my sister first and I see her face possesses no expression. She just stares at me, and I stare back. I finally shatter the silence. "Are you Ok, Chanelle?" I ask her in a whisper. She looks at me for another second before letting a tear emerge from her left eye. Suddenly, she rushes over towards me and squeezes me tightly, now in floods of tears. She then looks to our mother. "Mum, don't let them take us!" She cries whilst peering over my shoulder. My parents just look at us, unsure of how to calm her down. I know how. I place my hands gently on her shoulders and look deep into her sorrowful eyes. "Listen to me, Chanelle." I start, with a serious edge to my voice which could break any moment into tears. "They won't take you. I won't let them. As for me..." I take a long and thoughtful pause. "Well I have no idea about that."

"Well if you were reaped, at least you'd have a chance of coming out alive." Chanelle retorts. She seems to have eased a little on the crying now. "I have about as much chance as a small child."

"That's not true." I argue. She must believe in herself. "You are strong and very intelligent. You probably have more chance than I do." She doesn't bother arguing back. She just smiles and hugs me tighter. After the long embrace, I look up to see Jak. I expect a look of alarm but instead I find one of pure empathy. I feel confused for a moment. Is he not worried about his death? Well, why would he be? He's incredibly strong and he's 20 years old. Then, the pieces all fit together. He's 20 years of age and I am 18. The oldest age you can be in the Hunger Games is 18. At the age of 19, you loose your eligibility. For a moment I feel relieved for him but in a second, a wave of envy rushes over me. If I was just one more year older, I'd be safe. Still, I can't be angry at him. He's done nothing wrong. "I feel your pain. Both of you." He states, his voice shaking a little from the fear of loosing a companion. No you don't, I think to myself. You have no idea. I don't say this, however. I just smile and nod in his direction. I turn my head slightly and catch a glimpse of a small girl with blonde hair. It's my friend, Velvet sepia. She is a year younger than me and is probably the most energetic and high-spirited person I have ever met. However, today, she is not bouncing around and laughing. She is looking at the floor and looking anxious. Her bright, brown eyes meet mine and she smiles weakly in my direction. "Are you Ok?" I mouth to her. She says nothing back. She only nods, meaning yes, she is Ok. But I honestly doubt it. Suddenly, a flash of green light obstructs my vision and I see my good friend, Diamond Allgood, looking at me in a troubled way. It was Diamond's bright green hair that caught my eye. Diamond is 19 and she is no longer eligible for the reaping. I expected her to be quite smug about it, but instead, she gives me a reassuring hug. "Are you Ok?" She asks me, barely audible. I suddenly feel the strange feeling of deja vu.

"Oh...Um...Yes I am fine." I fumble with my words as I am unsure of what to reply with.

"Good" She beams at me. "Good luck, Silver." And with that, the green-haired girl disappears, revealing two boys standing directly behind her, looking at me. Both of the boys shared classes with me in school so I know them both quite well. The first boy, Silk Vrement, has short and messy brown hair. We regularly exchange conversation but it's mainly about homework and projects from class. The second boy, Marble Ophian, has silky, silver hair and just stands there looking at me expressionless. We've never spoken before because he always seemed hostile but he's very good friends with Silk, who has told me everything about him. The two boys stand there for a minute, Silk is smiling at me whilst Marble has folded his arms. I don't think he likes me much. "Hey, Silver." Silk beams. His tone makes it sound like we've won something. We defiantly have not. "Me and Marble just wanted to wish you good luck at that reaping thing."

"Yeh. Yeh we did." Marble interrupts. I'd never heard him speak before and he sounds about as enthusiastic to see me as a lump of dirt. His low-pitched voice seems to irritate me, as a shiver runs down my back. "Oh, thanks guys." I reply, whilst giving Silk a well deserved smile. I dare not look at Marble. "Good luck to you too."

"Thanks, Silver!" Adds Silk, with a sense of pride in his voice as he and his stern accomplice move away from me. Marble doesn't take his eyes off of me, but as the pair turn a corner, he manages to work a small smirk onto his face. Mine remains expressionless. Nobody comes to wish me good luck for a while, but I am expecting someone. A girl who means the world to me. My girlfriend, Glitter Socast. I wait another 5 minutes and, just as I am about to give up, somebody flings their arms around me. I look down at the blonde haired figure and feel a sense of relief, knowing that it's Glitter. The relief only lasts about a minute though. I realize that she is, in fact, crying. "Hey, it's Ok, Glitter. Please don't cry." I comfort her, attempting not to cry myself. "What's the matter?" Her beautiful green eyes look up into mine and my heart skips a beat. "I just can't bear the thought of loosing you. I also can't bear the thought of either dying without you or being forced to fight you. They can't split us! They can't!" She sobs, an edge of agonising pain has crept to her voice. I can't allow myself to see her like this. I latch onto her right hand and I kiss her. Despite all of the tears that were shed, this was probably the best kiss I have ever exchanged with her. Glitter's arms had tightened around me and for about a minute, we were held together, nothing ever breaking the affection that we shared for one another. Only a minute, however because after that minute, I felt a haggard hand tap my shoulder. It was my mother, Clos. I really don't want to say goodbye to Glitter now but I really have no choice. "I'm really sorry, I have to leave." I say quickly before I am dragged away from her. "I'll see you soon, Ok?" She gives me a small wave and another tear emerges from her eye before she fades away into the background. I am now left to one thought. How unfair this whole thing is. I just can't believe it. Well President Erwin, if this is how you want to play, let the 1st Annual Hunger Games begin I guess...


	4. District 2

**Hello,**

**I just thought I'd let you know that I've decided not to put this story up on Wattpad, instead, I'm going to keep my Wattpad account for works of purely my own imagination. I have started a story already on Wattpad called Seventh Year. If you have Wattpad please follow me! My name is PanemaniacAmyMay. The story name is the same so it'll be very easy to find, but here's the link anyway, story/7115252-seventh-year Much appreciated. :)**

**-Amy-May xoxo**

District 2- Masonry

"Our nation would be nothing without District 2's superb stonework. It builds and fortifies our cities and its citizens are known individually for their strength."

Taken from the Panem Travel Guide.

Saffron Calliope's POV

My past? Oh...well...the problem is, I can't really remember most of it. I remember the simple things, though. I was born on the 17th March 2083 in a large, stonemasonry-based village in the center of District 2 named Lightmill. Nobody really knows why it's called Lightmill, it just is. It's stonemasonry-based because most of the people living here are stonemasons, which means we are all pretty strong. My mother, Wilma, is one of theese stonemasons so as you can imagine, she is a very strong and diligent woman. My father, Chad, is a Concrete Finisher and he has a sort of short and stocky build, nowhere near as fit as my mother. I have one younger brother named Charles. Charles is currently 14 and he is extremely athletic. A born killer. All of my other relatives live in Lightmill too. My grandmother Agatha, lives next-door to us and she is a retired Bricklayer. I'm pretty sure I once heard her say that she contributed to the construction of Lightmill's buildings. My mother's sister, Traci, lives opposite to us and she works as a Brickmason. When she was very young, she would attempt to help my grandmother laying the bricks but it wasn't until she was older that she qualified for the job. Her husband, Terrence, is a highly-skilled Plasterer. They met because Terrence was plastering and painting Traci's house and they instantly fell in love. Cute, huh? The pair also have 2 children, who me and Charles are very close with. Ellie is the oldest, at the age of 20 and she has just qualified for the post of local Blacksmith. She is very strong and can wield a hammer as easily as if it were as light as a feather. Josh is 17 like me, and also attends the same academy as me. We're not only cousins, but we're also best friends. I do have other friends that aren't related to me, but none of them are as close to me as Josh is. As I said before, I don't remember most of my childhood. I remember everything about my friends, my family and my training but not much else. I only know certain things because my family and friends tell me over and over again to try and help me remember. They seem bent on reuniting me with my hidden memories. I still recall everything about my training and the academy. I was enrolled at Lightmill's young warrior training academy when I was 5 years old. I remember running laps around the small room that the young pupils train in to try and boost my stamina. I guess it worked, because now I can make it round my new training room in about a minute. When I was a bit older, about 10 years old, I was moved into a room full of climbing walls. This was where my talent came in because I scaled the first wall like I'd been training with them for decades. This really impressed my coach and I was quickly moved up to a higher standard class. When I was 12, I was finally allowed to use and practice with weapons. I'd been waiting to use weapons ever since I first joined the academy. By the time I was about 14, I could easily sense an attack from any angle and I could pick up any weapon and use it like a pro. I was told that when I was 7, a huge uprising, which in the end spanned out over 10 years, was initiated. The reason I don't remember much else about my childhood is because when I was 10, a Capitol bomb landed not far from where I was standing in the village. I wasn't killed or blown up, as the bomb wasn't that close to me. I was just caught in the explosion and was blasted back into the stone wall of somebody's house and my head was smashed against it. I was apparently unconscious for about half an hour but after that, I woke up with a serious concussion. Nowadays, it doesn't get so bad but up until I was 15, sometimes I couldn't even remember my own name. I never cease to forget my friends, my family or my training, though. I guess I just have a good memory for things like that. Or maybe it's because they're all just too important to me. So that's basically it, I guess. Not much to remember about me. If I could recall more of my past then I definitely would. Who would choose to be ripped apart from their own heritage by something that's as insignificant as a stone wall? Certainly not me.

I'm not exactly sure what to think when the world returns to silence, so I just keep my mouth closed. A pageant of honour and glory has just been issued and there is only one real response for me. This could be my chance to show the world exactly what I have to offer. This is the upside to my many years of constant training. Now, I have the upper-hand. My mother gives my right shoulder a firm grip and laughs. Her chuckle is almost menacing, but has an edge of affection within it, which stops me believing that my mother has gone insane. I turn to her and give a courageous smile, as if I've just won something. To be perfectly honest, if feels as though I have. "Look at you!" She begins, grabbing me by both shoulders. "You're a winner! And you were born ready for this!"

"Oh, mum." I reply, giggling a bit. "Don't you think otherwise! I'm going to volunteer for this, and I'm going to make you all proud!"

"That's my girl!" My mother brags, giving me a pat on the arm and turning to my brother, probably to give him a similar speech. I then turn to my dad. I've always been close with him and instead of looking as smug as my mother, he looks really depressed. However, he manages a small smile when he looks up to see me. "Well," He hesitates, unsure of what to say. "Good luck I guess. I'm sure you'll do great, Saffron." There is a moment of silence before anything else happens.

"Thanks, Dad." I reply, smiling and trying hard not to cry. "I love you." He brings me closer to him and embraces me, making it even harder not to cry. "I love you too." He whispers into my ear. I let a tear trickle down my cheek and pray that nobody else notices it. "Hey!" I hear a voice call from behind me. I quickly wipe the tear away, emerge from my fathers arms and whirl around to find Charles standing there, his arms folded and a villainous look on his face. "You know, Saffron." He begins, with an aggravating touch of pity in his voice as he paces up and down slightly. "If it does end up being me and you representing this district, I won't hesitate to make you my first kill." What did I tell you. A born killer. I raise my eyebrows and snigger, this seems to annoy him. "Good luck with that, Charlie. Be careful, you might break a nail!" He not only hates being called Charlie, but any reference I make about him being the more girly of the two of us drives him mental. He gives me the evil eye and, without any word of warning, grabs me by the hair. Before I can retaliate in any way, Grandma Agatha steps in to drag Charles off of me. "Now, listen you two!" She snaps, holding Charles by the collar on his shirt. "If it does turn out to be the two of you, you stick together! Well, at least until everybody else is dead. At which point, yes, I do believe it's best if you fight it out." She lets go of Charles' shirt and waits for an agreement to be formed between us. "Fine." We both groan in unison. Grandma Agatha manages to smile now.

"Good. Well good luck to you both!" She announces, before returning to her original place next to my mother. Soon after the fight, Aunt Traci, Uncle Terrence and our two cousins come over to see us. Aunt Traci is laughing for some reason. "Mum's still got it, I guess!" She jokes to my mother. Everybody with us begins to laugh, including me. She really does know how to cheer everybody up. I turn to talk to her with a smile on my face. "I guess I should thank her for helping me back there." I say guiltily, letting me head drop. "Oh, no don't worry about it Saff!" She begins, still laughing. "She won't want any thanks, she just wants you to listen to her advice. She wants the best for you. She wants the best for the whole family." I smile at her and she returns it with even more energy. Suddenly, I see Uncle Terrence coming up behind my Aunt and kissing her gently on the back of the neck. She turns around slowly and I soon find myself watching them passionately kiss in front of me and Charles. "You two!" He barks bitterly. "Just get a room or something!" Charles has never liked any type of affection, which is one of the reasons he calls me "soft" because, unlike him, I have no problem with it. "Sorry, Charlie." Uncle Terrence responds calmly, breaking the kiss. "I'm a little busy here." Once again everyone with us begins to laugh and Charles' cheeks turn bright red. He rolls his eyes dramatically and quickly walks away, most likely feeling extremely embarrassed inside. I don't feel sorry for him. My older cousin, Ellie, calls me, Charles and Josh over for a pep talk. Charles, obviously, isn't in the best of moods so he doesn't really listen. Me and Josh, however, are pretty pleased with everything today so we show an upbeat attitude. "Ok guys," Ellie declares, clapping her hands together in an excited sort of way. "I've seen all of you practice your training skills and I have to say, you're three of the most agile kids I've ever seen! However, some of you are definitely more prepared than others." She looks at Charles and me and then at Josh. I won't lie, but Josh isn't as... coordinated as me and Charles. He's not very quick and quiet on his feet, he doesn't deal well with heights and he has little to no hand-eye coordination. However, he is an extremely fast swimmer and I, annoyingly, have always had trouble with swimming which, I guess, would make us the perfect team in the games. One possesses the skills which the other doesn't, and vice-versa. "But still," Ellie continues. "I wish you all the best of luck." We all embark on a group-hug but soon after, Josh pulls me aside. "Can you make me a promise?" He pleads, grabbing me hard on both arms. "...Ok." I hesitate because the pain I hear in Josh's voice catches me unawares.

"If both me and you end up being this years tributes, do you promise that you will be my ally? I know I have two left feet and I'm scared of heights and I'm nowhere near as skilled as you. But please, will you help me?" I can tell that he is holding back tears. I, myself, am struggling not to cry again. "I promise, Josh." I reply quietly. "Of course I promise," He quickly stretches his hand out and waits patiently for me to take it. I gently go to shake his hand but he grabs mine a little too hard. I can't really imagine how he must be feeling right now. Mixed emotions? I feel an unexpected tug on my arm and Josh pulls me into a hug. I can feel his heart racing and I can also feel his ice-cold tears running down my neck. I look up slightly to see a waving figure standing not too far away from us. The long, ragged brown hair of the figure reveals to me that it is my good friend, Russell. "Would you excuse me for a second?" I ask Josh. I don't wait for an answer I just twist my way out of his arms and run towards Russell. He's a year younger than me but he's so tall, that I have to look up to talk to him. "Hi, Russell!" I beam at him. He seems to be as equally happy as I am.

"Oh, hi Saff." He grins, avoiding my eyes at all times. The thing with Russell is it's blatantly obvious that he has a crush on me, everybody who knows us can see it, but he's never actually told me how he feels. "So, are you Ok?" I ask, never letting the kind, warm smile leave my face.

"Yeh I am thanks," He answers quickly. He obviously wants to say something else before I speak again. "Can I ask you a question, Saffron?" Oh God... Is this it? Is he going to ask what I think he's going to ask? "Go ahead!" I smile, even though inside, it feels as if my heart is being twisted. He's such a good friend and I don't think of him in that way. I don't want this to ruin our friendship. "Well..." He stammers, scratching the back of his head and looking to the floor. "What I wanted to ask is... would you ever consider... I mean... um... I don't really know how to say this." I look at him with a confused look on my face. I just need something to stop him from asking now! He decides to try asking me again. "Will you..."

"Hey, Saff!" I hear a cocky voice from behind Russell and I can instantly tell it's Brock. He's one of those boys who thinks he can get any girl he wants. I guess that is true, to an extent. He's blonde, tall and he is what most girls describe as "hot". However, he has his eyes set on me and, to be perfectly honest, he's not my idea of hot. He pushes Russell out of the way with such force, that Russell lands on the floor near us. I can see Russell slipping Brock a dirty look and walking away out of the corner of my eye. This is all I need right now. "Hey." He winks at me and reaches down to hold my hand. I quickly raise it to my head and act that I was sorting out my hair. "Hi." I reply through grated teeth, avoiding his bright blue eyes. "Listen, Brock this is a really bad time for me."

"Oh, don't worry." He interrupts me. "I just have to ask this one question." Not again... Even though Russell hasn't ever attempted to show his feelings until today, at least he hasn't asked me about 10 times already if I'll be his girlfriend. Brock has. At least 10 times. I don't even reply, I just wait for him to get on with it. "Saffron Calliope," He begins, taking my hand before I can move it. "Will you be my girlfriend?" I look around desperately for something, anything, that gives me a good reason not to answer this question with another no. After about a minute of looking around I see my good friend, Ellen standing not far from us and... biting her nails? Perfect timing. Now I have to see what's going on. "Sorry Brock, can I get back to you on that?" I ask quickly, pulling my hand away. Just like I did with Josh, I don't wait for an answer. I just run off. I don't understand why Ellen would be biting her nails. She's one of the toughest and bravest girls I know besides me. Even if she is quite short. I reach where Ellen is standing and I tap her on the shoulder. She gasps in fear and whirls around hurriedly, as if she's just been attacked by a Tracker Jacker or something. "Oh, Saffron." She sighs with relief. "It's you."

"Who did you think it was?" I ask anxiously. "Who could it possibly have been that would've scared you?"

"Oh, nobody really. I'm just not... feeling too well." I raise my eyebrows at her. I don't believe this for a second. There's got to be more to it than that. "Ok fine!" She snaps, I can sense that she is very close to tears. "I'm terrified of the Hunger Games. We're only 17, Saffron. Our death has been set."

"Hey don't be embarrassed about it." I comfort her, giving her a friendly hug. "They're just testing us. It's more like an honour, not a death sentence! Besides, what are the odds of them picking you?"

"But what if I am picked?" She asks me, letting afew tears slip out of her eyes. "I mean, it's possible isn't it. My name's in the reaping ball 6 times." It doesn't take me long to figure out a reply.

"Well that is true. But if you are reaped, I will volunteer to take your place."

"Oh Saffron." Ellen smiles for the first time today. "You really don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to." I smile back at her. "It would be an honour for me if I was in the games." Ellen's face breaks out into a beaming smile and she hugs me tightly around the neck. "Thank you so much, Saffron. I don't know what I'd do without you as my friend." Before I can reply, a soft voice calls out Ellen's name and she shouts, "I'm coming!" back in the direction of the voice. "I've gotta go. I'll see you soon. Bye!" She then runs off. At one point she does look back to wave at me and I've already started waving. Soon, she has faded into the distance. There is one specific thought running through my head. How am I going to let Russell down gently? I don't care about Brock that much but Russell is very close to me. I honestly have no feelings of love towards him. However, I have always found myself attracted to red-heads. They're always a lot more interesting. Anyway, there are more important things to think about now. Like the Hunger Games. I am incredibly confident about them. In fact, I know I will win, and I won't take no for an answer!

Garth Lou Wonder's POV

Yes, I know I'm only 14, but I have already pretty much lived my life. I've done more than most Capitol citizens ever do in their entire lifetimes. They just sit around eating expensive food, wearing luxury clothing and living the high-life. I, however, actually got up and did something. I was born on the 30th June 2086 in an extremely small and sparse village in the East part of District 2 named The Grassland. It's called The Grassland because there are only about 10 houses in it and from then on, it's just fields and paths until you reach the next village. My mother, Jennifer Kane, used to be a Peacekeeper before she became a rebel. Kind of ironic, huh? My father, Louis Wonder, is also a rebel but he used to be a Blacksmith. My parents aren't married but that's not really important. I don't have any other siblings, and there is a reason behind this, but my younger cousin, Jamie, lives with us so I guess he's kind of like a brother to me. Jamie is 13 years old and he has been living with us since he was 9 because his mother and father, or my aunt and uncle, were killed in an extremely heavy bombing which occurred during the Dark Days. Nobody has any idea how Jamie survived the attack but it's believed by myself and my parents that it was all down to pure luck. I have no other living relatives, well, at least that I know about, so my family's pretty small. Like I said before, I've already lived my life. It didn't begin when I was born, well, it did but not properly. It wasn't until I was 4 years old that my life truly began. That was when the rebellions started. I was meant to start attending a nearby training academy the following year, but my parents wouldn't allow it. At the time, they told me it was dangerous because of the rebellions which were happening and they also said that the academy was too far away. Because there were only about 10 houses in our village and not all of them were even occupied, the nearest training academy was in the next big village. Even that was about an hours walk away. But in truth, my parents weren't worried about that. Whilst every other child would most likely train, my parents had bigger ideas for me. They told me when I was 10, that they were leading a rebellion of their own and they needed an accomplice. Jamie was living with us at that point but my parents wouldn't let him fight because of the traumas he'd already experienced. I don't think I quite understood what horrible things could go wrong in a rebellion because I, stupidly, agreed to help them out. My father started teaching me the skills that I needed right away. My parents needed somebody to fashion the weapons that the rebels had to use and they also needed somebody to train the rebels how to use the weapons. Because my father was a Blacksmith, he taught me how to create the beautiful and deadly weapons that the rebels would be using. The first weapon that I created for the rebellion was a whip, which was soon sold off to a rebel who had joined my parents war. Whips are probably the easiest weapons to make but not many people ever used them apart from Peacekeepers, and we weren't about to sell to them. The first battle commenced about halfway through the year and by then, I could build pretty much any type of weapon. But now, I had to learn how to use them. Since my mother was an ex-Peacekeeper, she was very handy with most existing weapons so she passed on her knowledge to me. The skills were very easy to learn and I'd probably learned more than any academy student of my age. By the time I was 11, if you were to place a log of wood and a hunk of metal in front of me, I could build an axe and throw it at a target, knowing that it would hit the centre of the target every time. The first and only battle that I actually attended was the 5th battle. I was 13 and most of the weapons being used were worn and about to break. So I had to find a hiding place near the fight to create new, stronger weapons to be used. The Capitol warriors were hateful towards me because my weapons were so powerful, that they took out many of their warriors, leaving only a handful to fight against our rebels. This meant that I had to be extra careful. I obviously wasn't careful enough however, because a few days into the battle, I was found in an overgrown ditch near the action and I was immediately taken to the Capitol. For the first time in quite a long while, I was actually scared of the Capitol. The last time I was scared of them was when the rebellions first began and I realized what they were capable of. The reason I was scared when they found me was because there was a rumour going around that 3 or 4 years ago, 6 boys from District 1 were caught during their own rebellion and they were all tortured to death. Apparently, they were also filmed and the tape was sent back to their friends and family. Once I got to the Capitol, I was held captive by the last president and questioned about who I was and what I was doing to help the rebellion. If I failed to answer a question, I was whipped until my skin was red roar and I was bleeding. The most painful thing was, I had made the whip. It was obviously stolen from our rebels by the Capitol warriors and brought back to the Capitol. I knew I had made it because the wooden handle had a small G engraved into it. I even remember carving it to this day. Funnily enough, I wasn't killed. I was surprised and relieved at first that I'd been spared but then the president said this to me: "We may be releasing you now, Garth. But watch your back. We'll make sure that you die. I promise you that!" If it wasn't for that statement, I would've stayed in the rebellion with my parents. They understood why I stopped helping them because I told them everything that happened, but I can't help but often feel guilty about abandoning them in the last few months that the Dark Days lasted for. In fact, the reason my parents didn't have any more children after me was because they were worried that they'd be taken hostage as well just for being my sibling. They were also worried that they, or even Jamie, would be captured. So basically, my shockingly poor reflexes transformed anything good in my family's life into a swirling black pool of mess and regret. There is one upside however. The president who abused me has now been killed. I really hope that he hasn't told the new president about me. So there you go. I told you that I've pretty much lived my life. I'm most likely going to be dead within about a year. For a little while, there was hope for me that I might survive to at least live to be an adult. But now... my death has been set. Not only by the Capitol, but by myself.

It's easy to tell who's fault this is. It's obviously mine. I mean, seriously, why else would they choose to take it out on children? It's because the president promised me my death. Oh, well. I guess it's either them killing me, or me killing myself. I'd rather end it all quickly than watch my life fade away slowly and painfully. However, knowing now how brutal the Capitol is, I realize that they've probably planned a really interesting death for me already. Something that the Capitol citizens would really enjoy watching. Something that the former president would be proud of. Something that this new president, Leonis Erwin or however you say his stupid name, has been planning down to the very last detail. But I have a better idea. If I could really show them up, I mean, kill myself before they can kill me, then maybe my life won't be a total waste after all. But I have to wait until the right moment. This is going to be a televised event, so what better way to show them up than to do it live on TV? And there's nothing they can do to me after I'm dead. Perfect plan, Garth. Perfect plan. The large, old, decaying screen which brought the arrival of the Hunger Games has now fallen lifeless again. Despite there being such a huge crowd here today, nobody seems to utter a word. Good. Not only do I hate crowds of people, or some types of people in general, but I need some time alone in my mind to review this new president. I have to say, he did put on quite a show! I think at one point I even saw him brush away a tear! I'll give him credit for good acting. Come on, he's from the Capitol! I bet you he doesn't even care if 24 children from the districts are just assassinated all at once. Not only has he created the Hunger Games, he blew up an entire district! This man is ruthless. I can't wait to see what he has in store for me next. Oh great. People have started talking now. I wouldn't mind if they didn't all seem so happy about it! I only have one immediate reaction now. I just fall to my knees and hit the ground with my clenched fist. I want to cry, but I've had worse to be completely honest. At least they're not trying to torture me again. Yet. I can sense my mothers eyes resting on me, full of bewilderment and hopelessness. I can feel her gentle touch on my shoulder and for once, I don't pull my arm away from her. "Garth," She starts, bending down slightly. "Is everything Ok?" I don't say anything for a minute. I just stare at the cold, hard ground. I can feel the fire. The hot steam blocking my lungs and choking me. Pure vexation has possessed my body. I can't seem to control what I do now. I violently jerk my shoulder so that my mothers hand simply falls off of it. I then hit the ground once more and I stand up to face what's left of my family, the angry fire burning behind my eyes. "Look at me!" I shout. Not loud enough for the whole of District 2 to hear, but loud enough to show my family that something is wrong. Devastatingly wrong. "What have I ever done? How could they possibly think I've done anything wrong! I helped my people. I tried my best to free them from this execrable grip that they have always had over us. I didn't even harm anyone! My creations did, but I did not! They even tortured me with my very first whip! What more could they possibly want from me? How deep do they want to cut!" The first and almost immediate reaction I recognise is my fathers. He doesn't seem nearly as full of despair as my mother is right now. He just looks anxious. He takes a wary step towards me and clears his throat. "Son," He mutters, trying hard to suppress the tears that were most likely prickling behind his eyes. "You can't possibly think that any of this is your fault."

"How can you say that! I snap, feeling a lump rising in my throat. "Of course it's my fault!"

"No!" My father retorts. A small tear leaks out of his eye. "It's our fault." For a moment, I don't really know what to say. I don't know how to react. I just stand there like an idiot, looking at my mother and father. Jamie is standing to the side slightly. I think he feels a little intimidated by me. That's the way it always is with me and him so I'm used to it. I finally pick a reaction. I don't like it because it makes me look weak, but I just couldn't help it. Everything that's just happened has driven me to breaking point. I let the first tear fall down my face and drop to the ground and before I can do anything else or change my mind, I find myself pouring my emotions out into my mothers shoulder. My father has his hand on my arm and he gives it a small squeeze. I look up and see him, as full of sorrow as me. "We shouldn't have got you involved. It was unfair to basically ruin the rest of your life for you." He explains, his voice seems serious and deeper than usual.

"We just thought you were ready." My mother interjects. "Your father's right. We took away your childhood and sold your soul to the custody of the Capitol." She is getting herself too worked up.

"Mum, Dad, it's fine." I try to comfort my mother, who has become extremely agitated now. "It was an absolute honour standing by your side and fighting for what I believe in, even if things didn't end up too well for me. At least you two are Ok. That's all that matters to me. I couldn't care less if they really do kill me because at least then, you'd be safe." My mother wraps her arms painfully tightly around me and over her shoulder, I see my father's solemn expression break into a smile. A weak smile but it was a smile nonetheless. After my mother's embrace, I turn to Jamie, who was staring up at the sky with great curiosity. He was always a very analytical child. "What are you looking at?" I asked him, looking in the same direction that he was.

"The clouds." He answered quietly. There was a thick layer of fog looming over District 2. The wind was cold and there was a sense of evil in the air. "Why are you doing that?" I asked again, absolutely clueless as to why he was doing this. "I remember, not too long ago, I was alone in the fields. I was walking along a path and I looked up at the beautiful blue sky. I took a moment to lie down and watch the clouds. It seemed to relax me. I could find shapes in them. I could see my mothers face carved into the water vapour. Now, however, as I look up at the clouds. There's only one thing I can see." He pauses for a minute before he continues. "Knifes, swords, poison, Tracker Jackers... and a corpses. The dead bodies of 23 teenagers." I was shocked to hear him say all of this. Jamie is a man of very few words. He is also very mysterious. Like me, he has unimaginably long hair for a boy, and this adds to his mystery. But today for some reason, possibly the reaping, he's being very open-minded with me. "Good luck, Garth. You've always been like a brother to me."

"Good luck, Jamie. Not that you need it." I beam at him and he manages to curl the ends of his lips into a grin. We shake hands and I look down at his wrist. He is wearing the rope bracelet that his father gave to him when he was first born. He never takes it off. I often feel sorry for Jamie. Even though he has my parents and me, it feels like he is alone in the world. Suddenly, I hear a group of people laughing. It catches my attention because of how upset everybody in my family is and I whirl around to see what's going on. The first person who catches my eye is a boy I somehow know, Charles Calliope. He's the same age as me and because our village is small, we have to travel to his village to trade our goods for food. I got into a conversation with him once and I found out we have quite a bit in common. However, I wouldn't say he's my friend. I don't really have any friends. I stand alone. He's not laughing with the group of people but I can tell that he's with them. He looks really annoyed, his arms are folded and he's rolling his eyes at the group. See? We really are quite similar. The reason I can tell he's with the group because I can see that his sister is part of the laughing crowd. I know his sister by sight but I never learned her name. She seems nice but she's just way too arrogant. I can see her acting really proud, as if she sees these games as n honour or something. I don't like many people, but the one type of person I can't stand is the arrogant person. Unfortunately, most people my age and around it are very arrogant. That's probably why I don't really have any friends. As for love, I've been way too busy for that. I don't really see the point in romance. It's just a tiny, futile feeling. What's all the fuss about? Even though I often feel lonely, I think it's best that I never really made any friends outside my own family. This way, I have nothing to loose. I don't really care if I die or not. In fact, I feel like death would be a blessing. So come on, President Erwin! Hit me with your best shot!


End file.
